One step at a time
Healthy habits rewarded at Villages of Farragut
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Top three walkers for “walking around the world” at The Villages of Farragut senior living center were, from left, Marion Franks, Lynda Thurman and Anne Marie Harwell. - Photos by Michelle Hollenhead
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Deb Gregory, left, Villages community events director, presented the “World of Thanks” award to resident Shirley Mitchell for her leadership. - Photos by Michelle Hollenhead
A group of residents from The Villages of Farragut senior living center recently completed enough steps to circumnavigate the globe — and one resident was singled out for her leadership.
“As a community, we have walked around the world, which took us one year and two weeks to complete,” Villages Community Events director Deb Gregory said during a special ceremony Friday, Aug. 19. “Our community completed 10,422,740 steps during that time.”
Forty-two residents participated, as did 12 staff members, “whose combined efforts made this goal a reality,” Gregory added.
It was a project led by resident Shirley Mitchell, who was presented with an impressive and heavy glass globe for her efforts.
“She gave us the world, so we are giving her this ‘World of Thanks’ award,” Gregory said in presenting the piece to Mitchell, who was visibly surprised and pleased.
Mitchell, who uses a walker and has Parkinson’s disease, has not let the infirmities slow her down. She said she walks “every day,” typically with two of a fellow residents’ dogs in tow.
Also, each walker received award certificates, and prizes were presented to those who walked the most.
“Our goal was to keep our community engaged, healthy and encouraged to live our lives to the fullest, and we are so glad to have been able to do that,” Gregory said.
